Lapis lazuli (also sometimes just called “lapis”) is a metamorphic rock best known for its rich dark blue color. It also often has stripes, flecks, or bands of gold running throughout. As crystal expert and co-founder of Energy Muse Jewelry Heather Askinosie tells mindbodygreen, lapis lazuli can be found in Afghanistan, Argentina, Chile, Italy, Russia, and the United States.
“This intense blue crystal has an endless list of associations with legends, royalty, and deities from cultures all over the world,” she explains. Most notably, Ancient Chinese and Greek civilizations adored lapis lazuli carvings, and it was often ground into a powder form and used to create eye shadow in ancient Egypt, according to Askinosie.
This stone was also traditionally used in burial ornaments in Neolithic civilizations because of its value, rarity, and healing properties, she notes.
And nowadays, it’s still revered by crystal enthusiasts all over the world.
